The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Section 2001, "Medicaid Coverage for the Lowest Income Populations," page 153, signed into law on Mar. 23, 2010, available at the Library of Congress website, states:

(VIII) beginning January 1, 2014, who are under 65 years of age, not pregnant, not entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A of title XVIII, or enrolled for benefits under part B of title XVIII, and are not described in a previous subclause of this clause, and whose income (as determined under subsection (e)(14)) does not exceed 133 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 2110(c)(5)) applicable to a family of the size involved, subject to subsection (k)."

The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation stated in its Mar. 2011 article "Determining Income for Adults Applying for Medicaid and Exchange Coverage Subsidies: How Income Measured with a Prior Tax Return Compares to Current Income at Enrollment," available at www.kff.org:

"A major goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to significantly expand coverage and reduce the number of uninsured. Beginning in 2014... Medicaid eligibility will be expanded to a national floor of 138% of poverty [level]... No premiums… Cost sharing limited to nominal amounts for most services."

[Editor's note: In 2012 138 percent of the US poverty level for an individual is $15,415; for a family of four it is $31,809. States make their own decisions regarding whether or not to increase Medicaid eligibility.]

CON (no)

[Editor's Note: Based upon a neutral reading of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and bi-partisan third party analysis, this question seems to have a clear and obvious Pro (yes) answer, and ProCon.org has therefore presented the responses in a single column with no opposing perspective.]